Improvement in potato-diggers



2 Sheets- Sheet I.

P. DENNIS. Potato-Diggers.

Patented Sept. 8, 1874.

ATTORNEYS. V

. THE GRAPHIC CO.FHOTO LITH,3-9&4-I PAIR! PLACEJLX 2Sheets--S heet2.

P. DENNIS. Potato-Diggers. N0.154,850.

Patented Sept. 8,1874.

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THE GRAPHIC BO.PHDTOLITH-398\ 4'! PARK PLACEJLY.

UNIT D STATES PATENT Orrrcn.

FAULDENNIS, SGHU'YLERVILLE, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF AND DAVID CRAW, OF SAME PLACE.

4 IMPROVEMENT IN POTATO-DIGGERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 154,850, dated September 8, 1874; application filed May 29, 1874.

' To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PAUL DENNIS, of Schuylerville, in the county of Saratoga and State of the line as m, Fig. 1. Fig. 3, Sheet 2, is a detail vertical section of thesame, taken through the line y y, Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrow. Fig. 4, Sheet 2, is a detail crosssection of the plow orscoop taken through the line z z of Fig.3. Fig. 5, Sheet 2, is a detail section, taken through the line 22 n, Fig. 1. Fig. 6, Sheet 2, is the same view as Fig. 5 with the shaft and ratchet-wheel removed.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

The invention consists in the construction and arrangement of parts, which will be hereinafter fully described, and subsequently pointed out in the claims.

A represents the frame of the machine, to'

the middle part of the forward end of which is attached the tongue B. To the middle parts of the lower side of the side bars of the frame A are attached slotted brackets or arms'G,

. through the slots of which the axle D passes.

E are the wheels, which revolveloosely upon the journals of the axle D, and the rims of which are provided with spikes or teethto take hold of the ground and prevent Elem from slipping. To the axle D, at the inner sides of the wheels E, are attached ratchetwheels F, with the teeth of which engage the pawls G, which are pivoted to the wheels E, and are held against the ratchet-wheels F by springs H, also attached to the wheels E, so that the wheels E, when they revolve forward, may carry the axle D with them, but may revolve backward without turning said axle. I is the plow or scoop, which is placed beneath the forward part of the the frame A in a diagonal or inclined position, and its ends are inclined or beveled, so as to be parallel, or nearly so, with the length of the machine. The forward end of the plow I is made thicker, or has a point or plate, J, attached to'it, and is rigidly attached to the lower end of an arm or bracket, K, the upper end of which is firmly and rigidly secured to the corner of the frameA. The rear end of the plow I is provided with a wing or guard, L, to prevent the potatoes and soil from passing off at the said end, instead of passing back to the riddle or shaker to be separated. The forward end of the plow I is provided with a wing or guard, M, to prevent the potatoes and soil from passing off at the end of the plow without being separated and falling directly in front of the wheel; The lower side of the plow I is made nearly flat, and in its rear part is formed a longitudinal dovetailed or T groove, in which works a similarly-shaped bar, N, to which are attached a number of fingers,(), projecting to the rearward, and slightly inclined upward. To the forward part of the shaker-bar N is attached a rearwardly-projecting lug, a, which is perforated to receive the lower end of a lever, P, which is pivoted to a support, Q, attached to the side bar of the frame A near its forward end. To the forward part of the side bar of the frame A is attached the end of an elbow-bar, R, the lower part of which projects horizontally to serve as a slide for the bent arm 'S attached to the forward part of the shaker-barN to partially support it, and thus diminish the friction. To the upper end of the lever P is pivoted the end of a connecting-rod, T, theother end of which is pivoted to the crank-pin u of the crank-wheel U. Several holes are formed in the wheel U at different distances from its center to receive the crank-pin u, to enable the throw of the shaker to be adjusted as the condition of the soil may require. The crank-wheel U is attached to the end of a short shaft, V, which revolves in bearings attached to the frame A, and to its other end is attached a bevel-gear wheel, W, the teeth of which mesh into the teeth of the bevel-gear wheel X attached to the shaft Y. The shaft Y revolves in bearings attached to the frame A, and to its outer end is attached a gear-wheel, Z, the teeth of which mesh into the teeth of the large gear-wheel A attached to the axle D. If desired, the shaft Y and the gear-wheels X Z may be omitted, and the gear-wheels W A so formed and arranged as to mesh into each other. B is a shaft, which works in bearings attached to the frame A, and which is worked by a lever, O, rigidly attached to it, and which projects into such a position that it may be readily reached andoperated by the driver from his seat. To the shaft B is attached two curved arms or cams, D, which rest against the upper side of the axle D, and which, when the free end of the lever O is moved to the rearward,press down upon the said axle D, and thus raise the frame A and its attachments, throwing the machine out of gear. To the shaft B is also attached a curved arm or hook, E, which is so formed that when the free end of the lever O is moved forward to allow the frame A and its attachments to move downward to throw'the machine into gear, the said hook will pass around and beneath the axle D and lock the frame A in place. To the corner of the frame A is attached an arm, F which projects forward and curves downward in front of the forward corneror point of the plow I, to act as a guardfinger to separate the stalks of the row of potatoes to be dug from the stalks of the adjacent row. G is the drivers seat, the standard of which is attached to the rear part of the center bar of-the frame Ain such a position that the drivers weight may properly balance the machine.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patvent-".

1. In a potato-digger, the combination of the plow I, arranged in a diagonal position in respect to the line of progress of the machine, with the reciprocating shaker or separating device, N 0, operating in a diagonal direction in a groove or seat in the lower side of the plow, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination of the elbow-bar R, and bent arm S with the vibrating shaker N 0, and the frame A, substantially as herein shown and described. 7 3. The combination of the wings L and M, either or both, with the plow I and vibrating shaker N O, substantially as herein shown and described. 7

4. The combination of the rock-shaft B, 1ever 0, cams D, and hook E, with the frame A, axle D, and slotted brackets G, substan: tially as herein shown and described.

PAUL DENNIS.

Witnesses:

W. H. CHASE, S. R. LAWRENCE. 

